About the Book

How many pizzas are delivered in Manhattan? How do you design an alarm clock for the blind? What is your favorite piece of software and why? How would you launch a video rental service in India? This book will teach you how to answer these questions and more.

Cracking the PM Interview is a comprehensive book on landing a product management role in startups or bigger tech companies. Learn how the ambiguously-named “PM” (product manager / program manager) role varies between companies, what experiences you need, how to make your existing experience translate, what a great PM resume and cover letter looks like, and then how to master the interview: estimation questions, behavioral questions, estimation questions, product questions, technical questions, and the super-important “pitch.”

Contents

The Product Manager RoleWhat is a PM?Functions of a PMTop Myths about Product ManagementProject Managers and Program Managers

CompaniesHow the PM Role VariesGoogleMicrosoftAppleFacebookAmazonYahooTwitterStartups

Getting the Right ExperienceNew GradsMaking the Most of Career FairsDo you need an MBA?Why Technical Experience MattersTransitioning from Engineer to Product ManagerTransitioning from Designer to Product ManagerTransitioning from Other RolesWhat Makes a Good Side Project?

Define Yourself"Tell Me About Yourself" (The Pitch)"Why do you want to work here?""Why should we hire you?""Why are you leaving your current job?""What do you like to do in your spare time?""Where do you see yourself in five years?""What are your strengths and weaknesses?"Sample Strengths and Weaknesses

Behavioral QuestionsWhy These Questions Are AskedPreparationFollow-Up QuestionsTypes of Behavioral Questions

Coding QuestionsWho Needs To CodeWhat You Need To KnowHow You Are EvaluatedHow To ApproachDeveloping an AlgorithmAdditional Questions & Solutions

AppendixTop 1% PMs vs. Top 10% PMsBe a Great Product LeaderThe Inputs to a Great Product RoadmapHow to Hire a Product Manager

Inside the Book

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

"I wish this book had existed when I first found my way into product management. Gayle and Jackie don't just help you land a PM job; they show you what it takes to be great once you've got one. Finally there's a game plan for charting your career as a product manager."

--Ken Norton, Partner at Google Ventures (former PM at Google)

"If you were looking for a comprehensive, well-researched book about how to get a job in product management, look no further than Cracking the PM Interview. Gayle and Jackie break down the entire process of landing your dream PM job, while bridging a wide range of perspectives that aspiring PMs may bring to the table. This is a no-brainer resource to leverage during your job search."

—Jason Shah, former Product Manager at Yammer/Microsoft & instructor of How to Get a Job in Product Management

"Impressed by Jackie and Gayle's thorough interview walkthrough, from defining your skills, to resumes and all the way to product questions. A definite handbook for hopeful product managers."